


McShep Drabbles

by busaikko



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Drabble, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-14
Updated: 2012-09-14
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:51:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/busaikko/pseuds/busaikko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>100-word fics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whisper

"You're not chatty on a _normal_ day," Rodney said, when John grimaced and shook his head at the suggestion of visitors. "And frankly, it's the least of your current problems."

"Funny man." John breathed the words carefully, instinctively trying to suppress a cough.

Rodney filled the medicine cup with a precise amount of syrup and glared meaningfully until John swallowed it down. "Hopefully this will teach you to get immunized for all the _other_ diseases your childhood deprived you of." 

John scowled and scratched at the spots on the back of his hand until Rodney threatened him with restraints again.


	2. Morning

At dawn the last darts screamed back to the orbiting hiveship. John's eyes were gritty with sleepless fear. He hurt from the damn cliff; he was too old for this.

He heard the gate engage and flexed his hands, breathing controlled, staying hidden, not hoping. Then his radio crackled, and thank God for McKay: "Sheppard?"

"Still here," John said, and started making himself forget how fucking close he'd come to not seeing the morning.

"I brought you donuts." McKay sounded angry. "We _worried_."

"Sorry," John muttered, pushing to his feet and taking sure steady steps through the sunlight, towards home.


	3. Without Makeup

Rodney sat on the pier, glaring at the horizon.

John settled next to him. "So," he said neutrally.

Rodney glanced at him, then away. "Relax. I won't push you off to your death."

"Didn't figure." John sighed. "Sorry."

Rodney raised a hand. "I need to fume until dinner – alone – and afterwards you'll come by. We won't talk, but your flexibility in bed will show contrition. No apologies, no forgiveness."

John nodded slowly, and then climbed to his feet. "Right," he said. Rodney didn't look at him; he headed back, feeling both worse than before and lightened with relief.


	4. Unexpected Love

"Off," John ordered, but by now he knew better than to expect Rodney's cat to obey. He hated cats. They had no loyalty. Rodney had been dying to have his arms filled with grateful feline, but where did the cat end up? On John's lap or his chest or his feet. "I hate your cat, Rodney."

"If he goes, I go," Rodney said absently.

John sighed and rubbed behind Mr Purr's left ear. Big green eyes blinked up at him adoringly.

"I hate you," he said, and got his hand head-butted until he gave in and performed a full-belly scritch.


	5. Making Up

John stared at the e-mail, not aware that his mouth was hanging open until Rodney flicked his cheek, leaning close to read over John's shoulder. "Christmas at Dave's?" Rodney asked. "Intriguing or horrifying?"

"Both?" John scrubbed his palms over his face. "He barely managed to be civil at the funeral."

Rodney put his hand to the back of John's neck, warm and firm. "So RSVP _no_." John leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. "Could be one of the famous Sheppard emotional baby steps," Rodney suggested, voice dry.

John gave him the finger automatically. "I'll go, if you come, too."


	6. Fuzzy

"It makes sense," Rodney said, as if he had a well-rehearsed mental list. "You're tall, you have head and chest and arm and leg hair –"

John jabbed a finger to poke a hole in the argument. "No back hair."

Rodney dismissed this with a wave. "It all migrated down to your testicles, duh. Two," he went on, over John's protest. "You're tall and lanky. And three, you always yell at me, sound and irritation signifying nothing. Ergo," he straightened triumphantly, "you're Chewbacca."

"Doesn't make you Han," John grumped, slouching. But it turned out Rodney could prove that, too.


	7. Parenthood

"You're good with him," Rodney said quietly, as John redirected Torren from a frustrating puzzle to a block game.

John shrugged. "Kids are easy. Give 'em food, sleep, and attention and it's clear sailing."

"Life lessons from The Sims." John raised an eyebrow but didn't deny it. "Do you ever want your own?" Rodney asked. "Adoption, whatever."

John blew out a breath. "Thought about it," he admitted, not meeting Rodney's eyes. "But I couldn't make the sacrifices, you know?"

"What's life without regrets?" Rodney said, wry and sympathetic.

John let his shoulders relax. "Exactly." And leaned in for a kiss.


	8. Changed Plans

"Guess we're not dying," Ronon said, holstering his gun with grim satisfaction.

Teyla's victorious smile was smug. "No."

Rodney blew out the breath he'd been holding. "As if Sheppard and I would let that happen," he said, impressed by how none of his inner panic showed. He tapped his radio. "John? You there?"

Only static crackled for a terrible moment, then, "Too close to the bang, but – still here, Rodney."

"Good," Rodney said. "Wonderful. Keep it that way."

He pictured John's sadly-familiar shaky, _whoa-I'm-not-dead_ grin. "Always do," John said: a promise and apology and lie, all at once.


End file.
